We’re looking forward to falling in love again at the Whitworth Art Gallery opening and beyond that we’re looking forward to working with Francine, the Cultural Park Keeper. Best wishes for the week ahead to all our colleagues in the art gallery!

Francine with Patrick Osborn, the Gallery’s new Landscape and Sustainability Technician.

So what is a Cultural Park-Keeper?

Now, that is a good question and the next three years (thanks to funding from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation) gives us the opportunity to find out.

My name is Francine Hayfron and last summer as I came across the job advertisement for this post, my heart literally skipped a beat!

For the past few years I had been working for an Arts & Wellbeing charitable organisation based in Salford that would use artistic mediums including horticulture, to help people that are experiencing emotional difficulties and those that feel isolated or excluded from their communities due to a decline in their mental health. It was here that I learnt to really appreciate how engaging with the outdoors can have an impact and help to improve a person’s mental health. Job opportunities like this rarely present…